Goodness, it's been a very long time since I've been in a European city, and I had forgotten how stunning old towns are. For Australians, it's even more incredible - we obviously don't have anything that old and our cities are structured differently. We had left the car at a camping park a short bus ride out of the city and took the bus into town.
We loved the narrow streets - most of our favourite vistas are down such narrow lanes. Our Land Rover is narrow enough to make it. We imagined a car chase through here, a la Indian Jones, but instead of a yellow fiat, a grey Land Rover..
They don't make buildings like they used to. Many of the buildings were part of the university. As I'm on the road and it's hard to detail the facts of a place, here's a Wiki except:
Founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX, the University of Salamanca was Spain's first institution of higher learning. By 1254 it had received acknowledgment from Pope Alexander IV as being one of the four great world universities, along with the universities of Oxford, Paris and Bologna.
The huge medieval cathedral is visible from outside the old town of course, as many cathedrals and castles are. It is still in use for service, so there was not only tourists but people there undertaking their religious devotions. Even if one isn't religious, it's hard to be unmoved by such architecture. Of course whole cities were constructed around the building of such places. The workmanship beggars belief.
We did a bit of window shopping of course. There was the usual combination of tourist shops, mainstream fashion, and more quaint shops such as an amazing knife shop where I saw an opinel knife with the handle painted with mushrooms. Too expensive for me at 80 EUROS.
The food was the usual tapas and 10 euro plates of meat and chips but I was reluctant to spend so much money on which was essential tourist food. Jamie had this dream of sitting and crowd watching eating good Spanish food and drinking wine. That was a pipedream that clashed with my miserly practicality so we ended up having a big argument. Eventually we worked out he was hypoglycemic and I resigned myself yet again to be in charge of my husband's snacks. Sigh.
We did get to go to a market though so bought a few supplies. Of course any good Spanish market will have a ton of different saffron to make paella, which I'm regretting not buying as I fancy making a paella tonight!
After we settled our differences we headed back to camp to do some washing.
I also got a chance to hang my fairy lights which is of course essential in any camper.
As I write we are headed down past Seville, trying to put some miles behind us to get closer to Alqueciras and the ferry to Morocco. We are going through the fuel but that's to be expected in a car of this age!
It's not too bad Hiving as we drive, but I expect it won't always be possible. If you are enjoying my travels please drop a comment so I feel like it's worth it! Much love to you all. Still a few hours on the road today so after lunch I'll try to catch up with some of you.
With Love,
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@riverflows...
Are you kidding? That camper is awesomesauce! Let alone fairy lights. That takes you well above that... what's that word? Glamping?? So, that would be what... Fairping? (Fairy... camping... ok I give lol). With the story of mushroom-painted knife handles... those rebuilding photos (just... wow) and the shops with the different saffron. It's more than just a post. It is a chapter from an adventure novel. Anyway... thank you for taking us along with you. I hope your journey continues to be a positive one...
Love and light...
!LUV
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Oh dear Wes, what a comment! Fairping... What a portmanteau! Love it. Hope you are well xx
I can totally picture that!! You at the wheel and Jamie with his head out the window shooting the baddies!!
I love the little narrow streets too and the old town is always the first place I go. Soak in the history and ambiance.
Welcome to Europe by the way, wishing ye an amazing trip. I assume Old Ireland is not on the itenary this time?
Sadly we can't make Ireland.. no funds or time!!! Would love to though.
Next time maybe 👌🏻
It's totally worth it! I mean, I keep following your journey, even though I don't always always comment. (Maybe I should!) I am especially impressed that you are composing these visually outstanding posts with just your phone! Great job.
It's hard work on my phone but I have a system!!! Thanks for commenting, it means so much xx
I do enjoy your travel journey. Reading it was like I was on the trip with you😀😀. I love the way that bus was designed as a room for sleeping. University built around 1218 and the building still looks very strong and beautiful. I respect the maintenance of that work as it's never easy maintaining a building for that long without fear of collapsing.. thank you for sharing this post❤️❤️
It must take a lot of money and skill to maintain these places! But I guess there's also a lot that do it for the love.
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historical buildings are more beautiful than nowadays fancy building, in ancient times, labour used to made everything with hands and hardwork, today making building is easy with machines n all...
Amazing place and photography...
Yes, there's so much more artistry in the old buildings that were made to last!
yea, it is difficult to find in today's fancy building..
The buildings with medieval architecture are really fascinating, I have never been to Europe but how I wish I could observe and walk its streets very closely.
I hope you do one day x
We are reading alright!
Just keep "feeding" us with more travel adventures, to feel jealous and start dreaming of our own future ones :)
Thanks for stopping by!!! I wish I could be on the road forever. Wanna donate to my Patreon? 😉🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Already in Morocco...WOW. How long after you going to travel around there? I will start another vanlife trip in 3 weeks. Morocco is also on the list. I will follow your stories there.